Sliding game piece having friction reduction air cushion

ABSTRACT

A game piece of the type, such as a curling stone, adapted to be slid onto a playing surface and which includes gas or air supply, outlet ports, an inertia valve and friction pads to automatically produce a supporting air or gas cushion upon throwing or bumping of this game piece and to achieve a course of controlled length and trajectory. Such game piece therefore allows more widespread practice of the related sports and games, since it does not required a low friction surface, such as ice, to be played on.

Unite States Tessier atent [191 1 Mar. 11, 1975 SLIDING GAME PIECE HAVING FRICTION REDUCTION AIR CUSHION [76] Inventor: Joseph Donatien Lo Tessier, 1

Guevremont St., Drummondville,

Quebec, Canada [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1973 [211 Appl. No.: 417,538

[521 US. Cl. 273/128 CS, 46/1 I [51] Int. Cl A63b 71/00 [581 Field of Search 273/128 R, 128 CS; 46/1 .1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1949 Stewart 273/128 CS 5/1960 Barnett 46/1 I Macks 46/88 Sawyer 46/1 .1

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerMarvin Siskind [57] ABSTRACT A game piece of the type, such as a curling stone, adapted to be slid onto a playing surface and which includes gas or air supply, outlet ports, an inertia valve and friction pads to automatically produce a supporting air or gas cushion upon throwing or bumping of this game piece and to achieve a course of controlled length and trajectory. Such game piece therefore allows more widespread practice of the related sports and games, since it does not required a low friction surface, such as ice, to be played on.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] NARI 1 I975 SHEET 1 0f 2 SLIDING GAME PIECE HAVING FRICTION REDUCTION AIR CUSHION This invention relates to game pieces of the type played by sliding onto a surface.

The game pieces of the above type which have been proposed so far must be used on a special low friction surface to allow sufficiently long courses with a minimum of effort. Such special surface which may be anice surface or a plastic layer or film, imposes serious limitations to the widespread practice of certain sports, such as curling.

This problem has been recognized long ago and, as solution thereto, there have been proposed game pieces having balls rolling onto the supporting surface. This solution has not been found satisfactory due to serious limitations in the design of such game pieces to obtain realistic performance, and to the difficulty of having constant and similar rolling facilities in all directions. Dust and lint, for instance, were found to hamper smooth rolling of the balls.

It is a general object of the invention to apply the advantage of the air cushion technology to game pieces of the above type and thus to break away from the necessity of using a low friction playing surface and to allow widespread practice of the related sports and games.

It is another general object of the invention to provide game pieces of the above type which may be satisfactorily played on ordinary surfaces, such as concrete, tiles, floors, etc.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a game piece with a gas supply arranged to automatically form a gas or air cushion upon displacement of the game piece, such as by throwing or bumping the latter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a game piece, such as a curling stone, with a gas or air cushion which includes an automatic timing valve and friction elements to allow control of the length and trajectory of the course of the game piece and which is nevertheless of relatively simple and maintenance-free construction.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a curling stone embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view as seen along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 are partial views of components of a manual control for selective release of a controlling ball. I

FIG. 4 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing the control ball in displaced position with regard to a gas outlet port;

FIG. 5 is a partial bottom view of the curling stone of the preceding Figures; and

FIGS. 6 and 6a are similar views of different friction pads as seen along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

The illustrated game piece constitutes a curling stone, although the principle of the invention is applicable as well to other sliding game pieces, such as a hockey puck and for the shuffleboard game.

The illustrated curling stone includes a hollow body 1 having a rigid shell forming a gas light enclosure. The rigid shell of the hollow body 1 includes a cylindrical contacting wall portion 2, a bottom wall portion 3 and a top wall portion 4 having the conventional outline of a curling stone. The bottom wall portion 3 forms an inwardly bent portion 5 forming an outside cavity 6 which is closed by a bottom plate 7.

Gas outlet ports or apertures 8 are formed through the bottom plate 7 for the escape of gas or air therethrough obviously, ports 8 should be as small as possible while allowing the air cushion to be formed under the body 1, in order to economize on the pressurized gas. I

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, in order to control the frictional engagement of the game piece with a supporting surface, the bottom plate 7 is formed with cavities 9 into which are inserted friction pads 10. A spring 1 1 resiliently holds each pad 10 in outwardly projecting operative position. In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 6a, the bottom plate 7 is formed with open-ended recesses 12 into each of which is positioned a friction pad 13, also forming a plug to close the corresponding recess against the escape of gas therethrough. This plug is formed by engaging a skirt portion 14 of the pad 13 over the rim 15 forming the corresponding recess 12. As will be better understood later, the plugs formed by the pads 12 are urged in sealing engagement with the corresponding rims 15 by the pressure of the gas into the cavity 6. Each pad 10 and 13 is formed with a plurality of hairs or projections 16 for best frictional engagement with the supporting surface.

A downwardly concave or bowl-shaped member 17 is housed within the hollow body 1 to form a support for an inertia responsive ball 18 rollably resting thereon. The circumferential edge 19 of the concave member 17 is secured against the inner side of the cylindrical wall portion 2 and thus rigidifies the latter to sustain impact with another curling stone. Apertures 20 are provided through the concave member 17 to allow free passage of gas from one side to the other thereof. An annular resilient bumper 21, of rubber or the like, is secured against the inner side of the body 1 over the concave support member 17 to smoothly restrain the outward travel of the inertia responsive ball 18.

An annular valve seat 22 is secured to the lowermost portion of the downwardly concave support 17 and defines a gas port 23 therethrough. As may be easily noted, the valve seat 22 and the inertia responsive ball 18 form a gravity closing, ball valve assembly in cooperation with the concave support 17. The ball 18 may be made of steel and the valve seat 22 of magnetic material to bias the ball into closing position, such as to require a predetermined jerk of the stone to free the ball for a run onto the concave support.

A pressure reducing valve 24, of any suitable type, defines a passage leading from the gas port 23 to the cavity 6 through the bent portion 5. As a result, the cavity 6 defines a low pressure chamber, as compared to the remaining volume above the bent portion 5. An inlet valve 25, such as is used to inflate pneumatics, projects through the body 1 to fill the latter with pressurized air or gas.

A handle 26, of conventional shape as used on curling stones, is secured on the top portion 4 of the body 1. A channel or passage 27 extends lengthwise of the stem portion of the handle 26. A rigid tube 28 projects inwardly of the body 1 and is rigidly secured to the latter in alignment and communication with the aforementioned channel. An elastic cap, or membrane 29,

is fitted over the free end of the rigid tube 28, as best shown in FIG. 3. A plunger 30 is axially displaceable into that free end and arranged to axially stretch the cap 29, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. A push pull cable 31 extends lengthwise into the passage 27 and is secured at one end to the plunger 30 and at the other end to a sliding manual control lug 32, on the handle 26.

The curling stone is first filled with pressurized gas or air through the inlet valve and this fills all the hollow body 1, over and below the concave support 17 but not the low pressure cavity 6.

The manual control 32 is then actuated in the direction of the arrows 33 in FIG. 3 producing a corresponding displacement of the push pull cable 31 and axial displacement of the plunger away from the ball 18 resting in closing position over the gas port 23. The ball 18 is thus allowed to become inertia-responsive and to roll away from the gas port 23 in response to displacement of the arm to throw the stone. In response to such displacement, the ball rolls onto the concave support 17 away from the gas port 23 and the latter is thus opened, allowing gas flow through the pressure reducer 24 to the low pressure cavity 6 from which it escapes through the outlet ports 8 to form a gas or air cushion against the outer face of the bottom of the stone.

The stone is thus released and allowed to slide onto a surface a distance which is determined by the initial stone speed, the position of other stones and the coefficient of friction which depends on the friction pads. After the stone is stopped, ball 18 comes back to the closing position. Waste of pressurized gas is prevented and the stone stays in position even if the playing surface has a slight inclination.

Friction pads impart a friction such that the stone will behave substantially like a stone on ice when on its air cushion. This friction can be adjusted; for instance, it can be increased if it is desired to play on a shorter playing surface than the conventional ice surface. The valve 18, 23 acts also a timing valve, since ball 18, once displaced, takes a certain time to come back to its center closing position, because it rolls back and forth on concave support 17.

The bumping of a stone by another one may also automatically activate the valve formed by the inertiaresponsive ball 18 and thus such bumped stone is also carried by an air or gas cushion for satisfactory sliding over even a relatively uneven surface.

The manual control 32 may be displaced at any time, such as when storing the stone, in the direction of the arrow 34 in FIG. 2, thereby causing the plunger 30 to stretch the elastic cap 29 to frictionally immobilize the ball and prevent wasteful egress of pressurized air.

As an alternative, instead of supplying air to the stone from an outside source, the stone could carry an air pump, an electric motor for driving the pump and a rechargeable battery for energizing the motor. A pressostat could control the motor responsive to gas pressure in body 1. The assembly would have an autonomy lasting at least one game.

It should be appreciated, at least by those skilled in the art, that many changes in the details of construction fall within the purvue of the invention as defined by the scope and coverage of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A sliding game piece comprising a body forming a bottom face having gas outlet means therein, gas supply means mounted onto said body and operatively connecting to said gas outlet means to exhaust gas there-v arranged to control said exhaust of gas through the latter in response to displacement of said body.

2. A sliding game piece as defined in claim-1, wherein said valve means includes a gas port leading to said gas outlet means and an inertia-responsive member constructed and arranged to open and close said port.

3. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 2, further including a support member defining a surface surrounding said port and converging downwardly towards the latter and said inertia-responsive member includes a rotary member resting ontosaid surface surrounding said port and arranged to seat under gravity onto the latter.

4. A sliding game assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said surface surrounding said port is downwardly concave and said rotary member is a ball rollably resting onto said concave surface and arranged for inertial displacement away from said port.

5. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 4, further including a manual control outwardly projecting from said body, a displaceable holding member arranged for holding engagement with said ball when the latter is standing in closing position over said port, and a link connecting said manual control to said displaceable holding member and arranged to actuate the same for selective release and holding of said ball.

6. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 5, wherein said displaceable holding member includes a plunger overlying said port and displaceable towards and away from the latter and arranged for engagement of said ball between the same and said port, said link includes a push pull cable connected to said plunger and arranged to urge the latter in holding engagement with said ball when the latter is in said closing position over said port, and a resilient bumper is secured around said downwardly concave surface and is arranged to restrict the outward displacement of said ball relative to said port.

7. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 6, wherein said body is hollow constituting a pressurized gas enclosure forming part of said gas supply means, and a gas inlet valve projects through said body and is arrranged for filling said enclosure with pressurized gas.

8. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 7, wherein said gas outlet means includes gas outlet ports through said bottom face, gas passage means leading from said gas port of said valve means to said gas outlet ports, and a gas pressure reducer interposed within said gas passage means and arranged to lower the pressure of the exhaust gas relative to the pressure of the pressurized gas within said enclosure.

9. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 8, wherein said bottom face has cavities therein and frictional pads are secured in said cavities and project outwardly of said bottom face for frictional engagement with a supporting surface for the game piece.

10. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 9, wherein said body has the general outline of a curling stone and includes a handle for the handling thereof, said manual control is secured to said handle, said ball is formed of steel, and an annular valve seat of magnetic material forms said gas port of said valve means.

wherein said body is hollow forming said pressurized gas enclosure, a gas inlet valve projects through said body and is arranged for filling said enclosure with pressurized gas.

14. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 1, further including friction elements projecting outwardly from said bottom face thereof for controlled frictional engagement with a supporting surface. 

1. A sliding game piece comprising a body forming a bottom face having gas outlet means therein, gas supply means mounted onto said body and operatively connecting to said gas outlet means to exhaust gas therethrough, and inertia-responsive valve means connecting said gas supply means to said gas outlet means and arranged to control said exhaust of gas through the latter in response to displacement of said body.
 1. A sliding game piece comprising a body forming a bottom face having gas outlet means therein, gas supply means mounted onto said body and operatively connecting to said gas outlet means to exhaust gas therethrough, and inertia-responsive valve means connecting said gas supply means to said gas outlet means and arranged to control said exhaust of gas through the latter in response to displacement of said body.
 2. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve means includes a gas port leading to said gas outlet means and an inertia-responsive member constructed and arranged to open and close said port.
 3. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 2, further including a support member defining a surface surrounding said port and converging downwardly towards the latter and said inertia-responsive member includes a rotary member resting onto said surface surrounding said port and arranged to seat under gravity onto the latter.
 4. A sliding game assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said surface suRrounding said port is downwardly concave and said rotary member is a ball rollably resting onto said concave surface and arranged for inertial displacement away from said port.
 5. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 4, further including a manual control outwardly projecting from said body, a displaceable holding member arranged for holding engagement with said ball when the latter is standing in closing position over said port, and a link connecting said manual control to said displaceable holding member and arranged to actuate the same for selective release and holding of said ball.
 6. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 5, wherein said displaceable holding member includes a plunger overlying said port and displaceable towards and away from the latter and arranged for engagement of said ball between the same and said port, said link includes a push pull cable connected to said plunger and arranged to urge the latter in holding engagement with said ball when the latter is in said closing position over said port, and a resilient bumper is secured around said downwardly concave surface and is arranged to restrict the outward displacement of said ball relative to said port.
 7. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 6, wherein said body is hollow constituting a pressurized gas enclosure forming part of said gas supply means, and a gas inlet valve projects through said body and is arrranged for filling said enclosure with pressurized gas.
 8. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 7, wherein said gas outlet means includes gas outlet ports through said bottom face, gas passage means leading from said gas port of said valve means to said gas outlet ports, and a gas pressure reducer interposed within said gas passage means and arranged to lower the pressure of the exhaust gas relative to the pressure of the pressurized gas within said enclosure.
 9. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 8, wherein said bottom face has cavities therein and frictional pads are secured in said cavities and project outwardly of said bottom face for frictional engagement with a supporting surface for the game piece.
 10. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 9, wherein said body has the general outline of a curling stone and includes a handle for the handling thereof, said manual control is secured to said handle, said ball is formed of steel, and an annular valve seat of magnetic material forms said gas port of said valve means.
 11. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 2, further including control means constructed and arranged to selectively engage and hold said inertia-responsive member into port closing position.
 12. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas supply means includes a pressurized gas enclosure arranged for communication with said gas outlet means through said valve means.
 13. A sliding game piece as defined in claim 12, wherein said body is hollow forming said pressurized gas enclosure, a gas inlet valve projects through said body and is arranged for filling said enclosure with pressurized gas. 